


I'll Be Fine

by gooseberryfox



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: David Acting as Max's Parental Figure | Dadvid (Camp Camp), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:07:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28329465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gooseberryfox/pseuds/gooseberryfox
Summary: He wished he was asleep. The noise of people talking and the crunching of leaves and the chirping of birds and the harsh sunlight combined were making it impossible for him to concentrate. They also made his heart race and his head pound. Yeah, he was definitely in for it today.
Kudos: 48





	I'll Be Fine

**Author's Note:**

> hey!! thanks for checking this out :))  
> i hope u enjoy!

Max’s head was swimming. He had been feeling exhausted all day, as the night prior was sleepless and, honestly, quite upsetting for him. There were too many thoughts bouncing around in his head and he could barely keep from crying, much less going to sleep. 

The campers were meant to be going on some sort of ‘forest fun’ adventure, and, despite his best efforts, he was among the rest of the group who were headed into the forest. 

He wished he was asleep. The noise of people talking and the crunching of leaves and the chirping of birds and the harsh sunlight combined were making it impossible for him to concentrate. They also made his heart race and his head pound. Yeah, he was definitely in for it today. 

He grumbled along, as usual, kicking rocks in the general direction of David.   
He didn’t bother to look up when his friends talked to him, the light too bright for his eyes today.   
He pulled up his hood in an attempt to shade himself from the sun, and also muffle the chattering around him. 

His efforts were futile, but he didn't bother taking his hood off even though he was overheating.   
‘I’ll be fine,’ he thought to himself. 

The walk continued for what felt like hours when in reality it had been only a few minutes.   
They came to an abrupt stop, and David spoke loudly in his ever chirpy voice; “this is it! We’re going to be choosing a path from here, so who wants to help make the decision?” 

This sparked an eruption of chatter, causing Max to once again groan, and this time, he put his hands over his ears. He could not put up with this for much longer. He closed his eyes while he was at it, why not completely deprive himself of senses? 

He began to get agitated. He heard the sound of David’s voice, but he couldn’t make out the words he was speaking.   
Max was over this. With fresh tears brimming his eyes, he turned around and started to run.   
He was quick. He’d left without a trace before, so why should this time be any different? 

It was different because David had left Gwen at the front and moved to the back where Max was running. Eyes still closed, Max tripped and almost fell until he caught hold of something. Fabric.   
He opened his eyes and swore to himself. 

Green fabric. Tall legs and a yellow ascot.   
‘Fuck.” Max simply said, quickly wiping the tears from his face and trying to run in another direction. 

He tried to run, but he felt a hand gently grab his arm.   
“Max?” Came David’s voice, slower, calmer and quieter than before.   
“No, no no,” Max said, pulling against his arm with his full body weight. He couldn’t let David see him cry. He’d never forgive himself. 

“Max, come here,” David said, pulling on his arm gently, but with enough force to send Max toppling into his torso.   
“Fuck off, David!” Max yelled, still running against now two arms that were now enveloping him.   
David held Max at arm’s length and knelt down.   
Max rushed to clear the tears off his face and still struggling against the firm hands holding him in place.   
“Buddy, what’s wrong? I’ve seen you try and leave our group before, but never this panicked. Are you ok?” This was one of the few times David wasn’t talking super happily, loudly, or even excitedly. His tone sounded worried and… like honestly cared about what was happening with Max.   
“I-” Max began, only to cut himself off as he felt new tears brought on by the sunlight coming through the trees. 

David caught on quickly. It didn’t take a detective to know what was happening.   
“Do you want to go inside somewhere?”   
A simple nod was the answer he got.   
He gently lifted Max off the ground, his fingers still latched onto David’s shirt.   
As he walked, he heard quiet sobs from underneath his chin where he held onto Max. 

They arrived at the counsellor’s cabin soon enough, where David gently deposited Max onto his bed. As soon as he let go, Max curled in on himself and closed his eyes. 

David walked over to his desk where he pulled out his chair and dragged it along the floor to sit across from Max. 

“What’s the matter, Max?” He asked calmly, leaning on his knees.   
“I- it’s nothing, camp man,” Max said, trying to build his Tough Guy exterior.   
David only waited. Sooner or later, the kid would be calm enough to talk again. 

After about two minutes of waiting, Max suddenly shot up from where he was sobbing and stared at David for a second before beginning to ramble. 

“I didn’t get to sleep last night or for a lot of nights and now the lights and sounds are really bright and I can’t focus and I’m tired and scared and I don’t know what to-”  
He cut himself off and put his hand over his mouth to forbid any words from spilling out.   
“I’ve really fucked it all up now.” He said as he laid back down. 

“Max, you can tell me these things! You don’t have to keep it all to yourself.”   
He simply resumed crying, and at this point, David couldn’t just leave him alone with his thoughts.   
He pulled Max onto his lap and held him there while he cried. If he remembered any of this, David could expect another snake in his sheets, but that was something he was willing to face if it meant comforting his camper. 

After a while, he couldn’t tell how long, Max had fallen asleep.   
Later, Gwen stormed into the cabin. “Where the fuck were you, David? You just left me on the walk and-” She paused when she saw the scene in front of her.   
‘Oh.”   
David nodded when he looked up, he hadn’t moved since Max had fallen asleep.   
They sat like that for a while longer, and when he was ready, David took Max back to his tent while Neil was asleep. 

David didn’t know how Max would react when he woke up and realized what happened wasn’t a nightmare, but he was ready to help him through that too.


End file.
